Guide to Mexican Cheeses: Cacique® Queso Oaxaca
Whether you are a Mexican food enthusiast or novice home cook in search of creating and sharing authentic magic in the kitchen, here at Cacique® we offer a full line of unique cheeses, creams, chorizos [cho – ree – sohs] and more to meet your everyday needs. Through our authentic Mexican food products, we hope to inspire you to add a little chispa [chee – spah] (spark) of flavor and authenticity to all of your meals. To help you along your culinary journey, we are sharing a series of blog posts that will inform and guide you on how to use and enjoy our delicious products
Before you get cooking, we’d like to share a few fun facts and ways to use each of our products, and today we’d like to introduce you to the smooth, buttery flavors found in our Queso Oaxaca [keh – soh · wah – ha – ka].
What is Queso Oaxaca?
Queso Oaxaca translates to “Oaxaca cheese” and in the southern Mexican state from which it originates, it is known as quesillo [ke – see – oh]. It is a semi-soft, stringy, melting cheese made of cow’s milk that is stretched into long ribbons and gently wound into a tight ball. It is reminiscent of Mozzarella or American string cheese, with a mellow, buttery, and slightly salty twist. Enjoy fresh or use as a superior melting cheese in your favorite dishes!
Fun Queso Oaxaca Fact: Named after the state of Oaxaca in Southern Mexico where this cheese was first made, queso Oaxaca first came to be when the string cheese process was introduced to Mexico by the Dominican monks that settled in the south. The process was originally used by the Italians to make Mozzarella cheese and as water buffalo milk became unavailable, cow milk was used instead. To this day, the multi-step process involves stretching the cheese into long ribbons and rolling it up like a ball of yarn and in Mexico, queso Oaxaca is made using only cow’s milk.
How can I use Queso Oaxaca?
Queso Oaxaca can be enjoyed fresh or melted in some of our favorite traditional Mexican dishes, including enchiladas (ehn – chee – lah – dahs], chiles rellenos [ chee – lehs · reh – yen – ohs], queso fundido [keh – soh · foon – thee – thoh] and of course, quesadillas [ke – sah – thee – yahs]. If you’re looking for a superior melting cheese that doesn’t require a grater, you’ve found your match with queso Oaxaca. Simply separate the ribbons into thin strings, stuff or top your favorite dish, and let your oven or skillet do the rest.
Here are a few other fun and fresh ways you can enjoy Cacique’s Queso Oaxaca:
- Cube or string for a tasty treat that both kids and adults will love
- Serve fresh with grapes, apples, dried fruit, or cured meat and enjoy as a delicious and well-balanced snack
- Add to your favorite omelet or scrambled eggs for an extra cheesy kick
- Top stuffed peppers and broil until melted to perfection
- Use in your favorite pizza, cheese dip, or mac and cheese recipe for an extra stringy, buttery crowd-pleaser
- Stuff into your favorite sandwich – we love it in breakfast sandwiches!
- Pair with fresh tomatoes, crushed Mexican oregano, and top with olive oil for the ultimate Mexican caprese salad
- Wrap and bake in crescent rolls topped with olive oil, garlic, and herbs for an easy appetizer
- Add to a Mexican-inspired cheese board with spiced olives and fresh fruit topped with chile-lime salt
- Substitute for Mozzarella or American string cheese
What Next?
- Start Shopping – Our Cacique® Queso Oaxaca is available at retailers across the U.S. Visit our store locator to see which products are available at your local grocery store.
- Get Cooking – For more delicious and authentic recipe inspiration, check out the recipes section of our website.
- Share the Cacique Love – Be sure to share your creations with us and tag @caciqueinc on Instagram so we can see what you’re cooking up!
